Parents' Guide to

Aftermath

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Powerful performances can't save tragic, mature drama.

Movie R 2017 94 minutes
Aftermath Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 18+

Based on 6 parent reviews

Sdhari
Sdhari Adult
September 11, 2021
age 18+
dan_Lewkow
dan_Lewkow Adult
April 10, 2020
age 18+

Better than most think

See all 6 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In AFTERMATH, construction manager Roman (Arnold Schwarzenegger) eagerly prepares to pick up his wife and pregnant daughter from the airport. But he arrives to find, to his absolute horror, that they've died in a plane crash. Meanwhile, air traffic controller Jake (Scoot McNairy) was on the job, dealing with downed phone lines and missing the opportunity to save not one but two flights. In the days following, Roman mourns his family, and Jake experiences intense guilt and pain over the accident. A year later, Roman attends a memorial for the crash victims, and Jake has moved to another state and taken a new identity. With help from a reporter, Roman finds Jake's address and decides to see him. All he wants is an apology, but with pain this deep, anything can happen.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (6):
Kids say (2):

Schwarzenegger and McNairy give powerful performances in this dire, downbeat drama, but the filmmaking frequently undermines them, choosing shortcuts over deeper, more soulful exploration. Inspired by a true story, Aftermath starts awkwardly with an upbeat beginning that basically guarantees -- and cheapens -- the tragedy to come. The subsequent setup for Jake is equally awkward; the first 20 minutes, taken together, show that director Elliott Lester has little feel for human behavior.

The movie feels more manipulative than it does sympathetic, topped off with an almost constant droning, moaning music score and very strange touches like a bizarre, busy wardrobe for Schwarzenegger. (In his grief, he wears a tacky sweater with what looks like geese on it.) Scene after scene consists of the actors trying to convey their inner anguish, with the director unable to do anything but remain on the surface. Admittedly, it's difficult for most of us to comprehend a tragedy this huge, but Aftermath doesn't seem to be able to manage it, either, so what's it's point?

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Aftermath's violence. What's shown and not shown? Do you consider any of it gratuitous? What's the impact of violent media on kids?

  • Are there "right" and "wrong" ways that the characters experience grief, sorrow, and guilt? If so, what puts them in those categories?

  • What's Jake's relationship with his prescription drugs? Are there consequences to his actions? Why is that important?

  • When Roman tells the other man that he'll eventually find a reason to get out of bed, what does he mean?

Movie Details

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